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How to Use Social Media to Grow a Small Ecommerce Store

How to Use Social Media to Grow a Small Ecommerce Store. Competing against larger and more established brands may seem intimidating when trying to grow a small e-commerce business through social media channels, however, using social media correctly can equalize competition. As an eCommerce store owner, having access to social media platforms will provide you with everything needed (besides money and employees) to create an effective marketing campaign. You should have a solid concept of who your target audience is, how they behave on each platform, and how to best market your items to attract this audience. The following guide explains how to effectively utilize social media to generate sales, gain trust from your potential customer base, and establish a successful online retail business.

Social Media’s Role in the Growth of an E-commerce Business

Today’s social networks are no longer only used as places to “chat” with your friends. Social networks today serve as marketplaces, search engines, and platforms for discovery all in one location. Millions of people use social networks every day to search for products, review products, compare brands, and even purchase items without having to exit the application.

Why Social Media is so Valuable to E-commerce Businesses:

1. Customers are Already on the Social Networks.

Social media sites like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube attract large amounts of users who spend countless hours each day engaging with content and other users. Thus by establishing a presence on the same social media platforms on which consumers spend their time, you will create an easier opportunity for these individuals to come across your store.

2. Brand trust is created.

Consumers want to shop from familiar brands that have established rapport with them; therefore, using social media will allow you to express your brand’s personality, core values, and the quality of products that you sell authentically.

3. Organic content receives many times more organic reach than paid advertisement.

Organic content, as opposed to a traditional advertisement, has the potential to go “viral” and reach users who are not necessarily in your target market.

4. Understand your customer base.

The following types of social media interactions will enable you to gauge how your products and services are being perceived: comments, messages, reactions, and overall engagement. Customers’ experiences and opinions are valuable feedback for you to enhance your product or service.

5. Generate direct sales via social media.

Social media sites such as Facebook Shops, Instagram Shopping, TikTok Shop, Pinterest Buyable Pins and so forth allow consumers to buy directly from you.

Step 1: Identify Your Target Audience

You need to define who your target audience is before even thinking about posting on social media. Relevance is key with social media. If the content that you share is relevant to your target audience’s interests, lifestyle and problems, then they are more likely to engage with your content positively.

Some questions to consider about your ideal target market are:

• Who are your ideal customers?

• What is their age group?

• What social media sites do they use on a daily basis?

• What type of problems do they have that they would like to get resolved?

• What type of content do they like to engage with?

• What inspires them to make a purchase?

Buyers Persona

By developing Persona, you can help you create content that is more targeted and relevant to your users. For Example:

Persona Example:

• Name- Amina

• Age- 24

• Interests- Beauty, Lifestyle and Skincare.

• Platforms- Instagram and TikTok

• Pain Points- Looking for Affordable Beauty Products

• Goal- Looking for Simple Make-Up tutorials and Honest Product Reviews.

After developing a persona, it will be easier to create content for your users because you are able to identify who you are talking to (your audience) and make your content more focused and effective.

Step 2- Select the Appropriate Platforms

Not every platform is the best choice for your store. The selection of platforms will depend on the type of products you are selling, your target audience, and the style of content that you are creating.

Instagram

great for Fashion, Beauty, Accessories, Decor and Food.

Why: People prefer Visuals and Short Videos.

The Best Features of Instagram include: Reels, Stories, Shopping and Influencer Marketing.

TikTok

Great for Low-Cost Products, Trending Items, Lifestyle and Gadgets.

Why? Because TikTok’s algorithm favours small creators.

The Best Features of TikTok include: Short Viral TikTok Videos, TikTok Shop and Live Selling.

Facebook

Great for Older Audiences, Home Products, Kids’ Items, and General Merchandise.

Why? Because Facebook has Strong Groups, Marketplace, and Ad Targeting Features.

The Best Features of Facebook include: Facebook Shops, Marketplace and Groups.

Pinterest

 Great for Home Decor, Food, Hobbies, Crafts and Beauty Products.

Why? People using Pinterest are looking for Ideas and Making Purchase Decisions Right Away.

The Best Features of Pinterest include: Product Pins and SEO Ready Posts.

YouTube

 is a super platform for providing tutorials, product reviews and product / tutorial explanations, and also for providing behind-the-scenes information about your products. The majority of content on Youtube is driven by long search terms, which means there will always be a demand for the content.

One of the best features of Youtube is the ability to tag your published items with Shopping, as well as the affiliate programs available for the people who are linking to your products on their Youtube channels.

You only need to focus on the social media platforms where your target audience is currently spending their time. You do not have to create profiles on every single platform, just pick a couple and work on them first.

Step 3. Profile Optimization for Your Social Media Accounts

Your profile is the first image of your company that a potential customer sees. Therefore it needs to provide a solid representation of what you are selling and help your potential customer build trust in you.

Some key things include:

1. Profile Image: Choose a clear image of your business. Most times you can get away with using your logo.

2. Simple, Clear, BIo: Provide a very simple and concise explanation of:

A good example would be: “Affordable sensitive skincare that actually works! Gentle products for sensitive skin!”

3. Link in Bio: Use tools like

This link should take people to the page on your website that will allow them to purchase your products.

4. Highlights: Use Instagram stories and highlights to showcase your

5. Keywords: Many platforms work just like search engines, so using the right keywords will help prospective customers find you.

Step 4: Create a Robust Content Strategy

Social media marketing is driven by content. The goal of social media content is to attract an audience, educate, entertain and sell.

Four Types of E-Commerce Content on Social Media:

1. Educational – Helps people learn something new or useful to them.

Examples:

Builds trust and authority with customers.

2. Entertaining – Fun content that encourages people to stop scrolling.

Examples:

Creates engagement and shares and expands reach to new audiences.

3. Inspirational – Captures the lifestyle/transformation/emotional benefits of your product.

Examples:

Inspires customers to see your product in their lives.

4. Promotional – Directly demonstrates your products.

Examples:

Proposed healthy ratio for these four types of e-commerce social media content:

Value = 50%, Engagement = 30%, Promotional = 20%

Step 5: Posting Consistently (but Smartly)

Consistency trumps perfection when it comes to social media. The more active an account is, the more likely that social media algorithms will reward it with higher rankings.

On average, this is how frequently you should post:

• Instagram: 3–5 reels/week

• TikTok: 1–2 videos/day

• Facebook: 3–5 posts/week

• Pinterest: 5–10 pins/day

• YouTube: 1–2 videos/week

While this amount may seem overwhelming, you can create several pieces of content from a single video.

Content repurposing:

1 TikTok = 1 Instagram Reel = 1 YouTube Short

What time is best to post?

The best time to post is determined by your target audience. The following times generally provide peak user engagement for the majority of accounts:

• Engagement rates are generally highest during the evenings and weekends.

• Engagement rates are generally highest from the hours of 6 PM to 9 PM (most accounts).

You can use your social media account analytics data to determine the best times to post based on the people following your account.

Step 6: (High Quality Photos + Videos = Increased Trust + Conversion)

Quality photos and videos can increase consumer trust, and subsequently increase conversion rate.

Ways to make your content more visually appealing:

• Use natural lighting

• Use close-up shots of the product

• Use a clear background for the product

• Emphasize the benefits and unique selling points of the product

• Use lifestyle photos

• Use captions or text overlays to tell a story

While expensive cameras produce high-quality images and videos, the camera built into most mobile phones provides acceptable quality.

The Consumer wants to know:

Short videos are generally viewed and converted better than static images.

 

Step 7: Building Trust Through Social Proof.

Also Known As “Social Proof,” This Technique Is To Get People To Trust You By Seeing Other People Talking Positively About You, Instead Of Just Seeing You On An Ad.

The Types Of Social Proof You Can Use Include,

Ways To Get More Reviews After A Purchase

 

Step 8: Working With Content Creators & Influencers

Influencers Allow You To Reach An Audience That They Know Will Go With Their Recommendations.

What Influencer Marketing Will Do For You:

 Real Results, Real Usage, Honest Feedback.

Types of Influencers:

Choosing The Right Influencers:

Types of Influencer Content:

Also, Influencer Content Gives You More User-Generated Content To Use In Ads.

Step 9: Using Paid Advertising to Increase Your Scale

While organic content is beneficial, paid advertising can help you to grow faster

E-commerce businesses can utilize any of the following advertising platforms:

Paid Advertising Advantages

Enable you to:

Starting Small

You can begin running paid ads, beginning with a $10-$20 daily ad budget (Average $5-$10 daily)

Good Types of Ads for E-commerce

It is important to keep Testing Consistent!

Step 10: Encouraging User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC has a more ‘real’ feeling than Brand-Created Content.

Can encourage your customer base to create User-Generated Content using:

As customers see others utilizing your product, the increased ‘Trust’ ultimately leads to Higher Conversion Rates.

Step 11: Use Analytics to Improve Performance

All platforms give you reporting data on:

The Main Metrics to Monitor:

Use the Data to improve Your Monthly Strategy!

 

Step 12: Create a Community, Not Just Followers

A community is a group of customers who have purchased and will continue to purchase and refer other customers to them.

You can build a community by doing the following:

Consumers like feeling connected to the brands they support.

Step 13: Utilize Social Media Shopping Capabilities

Make sure buying your products is easy for customers by using shopping capabilities available on social media networks such as:

These tools allow users to purchase products directly, making the process easier and increasing conversion rates.

Step 14: Host Promotional & Giveaway Opportunities

Everyone loves a good deal, and running promotional offers drives traffic and engagement towards your brand.

Promotional Opportunities:

Giveaway Ideas

Running giveaways increases your audience exponentially.

Step 15: Develop a Social Media Content Calendar

By planning ahead, you’ll save time and ensure that you are consistent in your postings.

Your content calendar should include:

• Post ideas for each day of the week

• Create your own goals (i.e., Enhance Engagement, Increase Sales, and Raise Awareness)

• Seasonal Promotions

• Posts by Influencers

• Advertising Campaigns

• Live Streaming Events

Having a plan will help you avoid spontaneous publishing and keep your social media campaigns aligned with your goals.

Conclusion

Social media provides an excellent opportunity for small eCommerce businesses to become established as a reputable brand and grow their customer base worldwide. You do not need extensive resources or large budgets to gain success. Instead, you require the following: a solid marketing strategy and a consistent approach towards understanding and interacting with customers.

Through cultivating high-quality content, using effective and appropriate platforms, obtaining customer trust, and applying creative ways to engage customers, you can increase your visibility, receive even greater engagement, ultimately, realise increased sales.

If you take the steps outlined in this eBook gradually, your store will enjoy a robust social media presence and you will achieve long-term growth.

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